Page 3 - Social Media Apps

Instagram tests Reels-first experience on mobile app in India: What's new

After rolling it out on iPads, Instagram is testing a Reels-first app layout in India, with quick access to Reels, new tabs, DMs, and simplified navigation

YouTube Premium users get new features: Improved audio, tools for Shorts

With YouTube Premium, users can now access high-quality audio on music videos, faster playback speed on app, Jump ahead on TV app and more

WhatsApp, Reddit hit by Australia's social media ban; check full list here

eSafety Commissioner has written to 16 firms, warning that the ban may apply to their services and encouraging them to use the 'self-assessment' tool

Social media firms lose bid to stop expert testimony on how it harms youth

LA judge said testimony for all but one of 11 proposed witnesses could be presented at trial, but that all of the experts would be prohibited from discussing the intent of the social media companies

YouTube made it simpler to edit shorts and generate AI videos: What is new

For creators on the platform, YouTube has announced Veo 3 Fast integration, AI editing, motion effects, and Speech to Song tools, making Shorts creation faster and more playful

YouTube Live adds creators-focused features, including games: What is new

Update focused on YouTube livestream feature brings Playables - a set of lightweight interactive games, AI-created highlights in the form of shorts, dual-format streaming, side-by-side ads, and more

Brand value flickers for mid-tier celebs as influencers steal stage

A-list celebrities have not yet succumbed to the rise of influencers, as they continue to hold their own sway over audiences

Australia warns social media firms over age checks before ban on children

Australian authorities said Tuesday that social media platforms should not demand age verification for all account holders starting from December, when a ban on children under 16 having accounts goes into effect in the country. The government released guidelines on how platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram should apply the world's first ban on children using social media from December 10. It says verifying the ages of all account holders would be unreasonable. We think it would be unreasonable if platforms reverified everyone's age, said Australia's eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, who drafted the guidelines. Her use of the word reverified" suggested the platforms usually already had sufficient data to verify a user was older than 16. She said the platforms have targeting technology to focus on those under 16. "They can target us with deadly precision when it comes to advertising. Certainly they can do this around the age of a child, she ...

New York unveils draft rules to curb addictive social media feeds for kids

New York's attorney general on Monday proposed regulations for its crackdown on addictive social media feeds for children, including rules for verifying a user's age. The Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE) for Kids Act, passed last year, prohibits social media companies from showing feeds personalised by algorithms to users under 18 unless they have a parent's consent. Instead, feeds on apps like TikTok and Instagram would be limited to posts from accounts young users follow. The law also bars companies from sending notifications to users under 18 between midnight and 6 am. The proposed rules for implementing the provisions include standards for determining a user's age and parental consent. "Companies may confirm a user's age using a number of existing methods, as long as the methods are shown to be effective and protect users' data," Attorney General Letitia James' office said. Options for confirming a user is at least 18, for example, include requesting an uploaded image

Snapchat adds forever chats and group streaks for snappers: How it works

Snapchat rolls out Infinite Retention for saving chats and Group Streaks for collaborative streaks, giving users more control and flexibility in conversations

India's reliance on US software, cloud services poses economic risks: GTRI

India's reliance on US software, cloud services, and social media platforms poses a major economic and security vulnerability in times of geopolitical tensions, think tank GTRI said on Sunday. Washington is in a position to cut off services or access to data, disrupting banking, governance, and defence systems, while controlling public discourse through foreign platforms, it said. "India's economy and security are deeply reliant on US software, cloud, and social media platforms, creating a major vulnerability in times of geopolitical tension," the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said. To address this, the government should launch a "Digital Swaraj Mission", with sovereign cloud, indigenous OS (operating system), homegrown cybersecurity, and data-driven AI leadership at its core," GTRI founder Ajay Srivastava said. He added that Europe is already building sovereign cloud and enforcing the Digital Markets Act. China, too, has replaced foreign code in government, defence, and

Nutrition myths on social media drive emotional ties to certain foods

In today's social media world, endless online wellness hacks, fad diets and nutrition misinformation are spreading faster than ever

Reddit explores in-app article reading option and tools for publishers

Reddit is positioning itself as a news hub, testing in-app article viewing and rolling out Pro publisher tools globally next year for story sharing and insights

YouTube expands multi-language audio dubbing feature to creators: Details

After two years of testing, YouTube's multi-language audio feature is now available to all creators. The feature will let the creators on the platform auto dub videos to reach more audiences

Dashverse plans to release 100 microdramas in a few months, produced by AI

Dashverse will open Frameo.AI for creators, cutting costs and production time while scaling storytelling across India

Nepal social media ban: Protestors defy curfew, vandalise govt offices

Amid growing calls for taking responsibility for the chaos, Oli called an all-party meeting at 6 pm at an undisclosed venue

Security tightened along Indo-Nepal border amid protests in Kathmandu

Additional checks and patrolling are being carried out to prevent any untoward incidents as tensions continue to rise across Nepal

Nepal forms committee to investigate Sept 8 violence that claimed 19 lives

Thousands joined the protests, criticizing rampant corruption and the government's ban on 26 unregistered social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, and Snapchat

GenZs lead protest in Nepal against govt's ban on all social media apps

Army deployed in Kathmandu after Gen-Z demonstrators stormed Parliament, leaving over 80 injured in clashes with police

India could be LinkedIn's top market in 2-3 yrs: Country head Pattabiraman

India, the second-largest and fastest-growing market for LinkedIn with over 16 crore users, could become the largest for the professional networking platform in 2-3 years at the current growth rate, its India country manager Kumaresh Pattabiraman has said. Pattabiraman described India as the 'signpost' for the global future of work. "By solving for India, we also solve for our 1.2 billion members globally," he said in an interview with PTI. He attributed the Indian market momentum to its digital-first young, ambitious workforce, which is 'on the move', the high appetite here for upskilling, inherent trust in the human insights and knowledge derived from the community and network of mentors and colleagues. The Microsoft-owned platform for professionals has seen its membership here grow by more than 50 per cent in the last two years, and the revenue has more than doubled since 2020, Pattabiraman said. "It is such an exciting time to be in India right now," he said, adding that the .